Chapter 74
The young master kept asking for this absurd medicine. Was he really planning to revive me, the deceased Anna? But there was something suspicious. He kept asking for a medicine that could save the dying, not revive the dead.
Was he planning to save someone else?
I couldn’t understand him at all.
“I can’t give you the completed elixir. Because it doesn’t exist yet.”
The old man said, stroking his beard with a dignified air.
“I’m not expecting that much.”
The young master took a deep breath, holding a phoenix feather close to his nose.
“I just need something with decent healing properties.”
“Hmm. If that’s all…”
The old man pushed us aside and walked deeper into the laboratory.
“It’s good to be back. I’ll give you something as thanks for bringing me here. Wait a moment.”
He returned with a strange-looking vial, clearly labeled as a healing potion.
“Give this to someone who’s dying, and they’ll see immediate results!”
“Do they have to drink it?”
“You can’t apply it.”
The young master took the vial, a troubled expression on his face.
“Why? Why? Can’t they drink it?”
Of course not! Anna was dead. Could a dead person suddenly wake up and drink a potion?
He would be hurt if I told him the truth.
“What if the patient… can’t drink it?”
The old man looked at him sideways and made a throat-slitting gesture.
“Don’t tell me… she’s dead?”
“No!”
The young master denied it vehemently. The old man and I exchanged skeptical glances.
“We don’t think so.”
“Suspicious.”
“You don’t know that.”
He put the vial in his coat pocket. It was time to go back.
“Old man, do you want to come with us to the earldom? You can’t stay here alone.”
The old man thought about it, then shook his head.
“I like it here. Observing the phoenix has been my life’s work. Lehman, no, Lupin Zepetto and the doll maid. Thanks to you, I’ve found my place again.”
The young master looked around the laboratory, then turned to leave.
“Young Master! Aren’t you going to say goodbye?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! His personality is just like Lehman Zepetto’s. Like father, like son…”
“If they’re alike, are their tastes similar too?”
“Hmm?”
“What kind of person does the young master like? What should I do to win his favor?”
That was the question I wanted answered most in the world. Winning the young master’s favor was more important than saving someone from death or eliminating zombies.
“You’ll have to become human first. You’re a different species.”
“As expected…”
I looked back to make sure he had left the laboratory. He was still near the phoenix, taking notes. This was my chance.
My chance to betray him.
“That elixir he took… can it turn me into a human?”
“Well…”
The old man rummaged through the papers on the desk, flipping them over and scattering them around. He then shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you even bother looking?”
“I had to at least pretend.”
“Good grief.”
If I didn’t become human, he would try to revive Anna, and I couldn’t let that happen. What if my old body woke up as a groaning zombie? Or what if my soul, currently inhabiting this doll body, got lost and ended up on the express train to hell?
“But I can’t say it’s impossible.”
He took the badge from his rags, the one with the witch’s mark. The young master must have returned it without me noticing.
“This is the mark of the Witches’ Coven. Lehman and I conducted our research with their help.”
“I know that much. I’ve seen the witch’s mark before.”
I remembered Miss Baba, the distinct mark on her tongue.
“I don’t know if the elixir will work on you, but it might be possible with the completed elixir.”
“The completed elixir… are you telling me to get it from a witch?”
“Suit yourself!”
He placed the badge in my hand. I took it, feeling troubled. So I had to find a witch who knew about the elixir? Would the young master go with me…?
“How do I meet the witches?”
“I don’t know. I’ve heard they hold a Coven meeting once a year. And there aren’t any witches I can recommend. They’re all nasty.”
“Hmm, nasty… I can imagine.”
“But there’s one who might help you, precisely because she’s so unpredictable. Helping people is also a whim for witches. The one you should meet is…”
We both said the same name simultaneously.
“Miss Baba!”
“Baba Porta!”
I put the badge in my pocket and nodded.
“With Miss Baba’s help, I might actually… I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Hmm, hmm. Be safe on your way back.”
With his farewell, I ran towards the young master, who was drawing a magic circle near the phoenix.
“I’m creating a portal to the dungeon, using the phoenix’s magic.”
“We can just walk. The weather is…”
The sky over the volcanic island was dark and cloudy, with strange rumbling sounds and strong winds. I smoothed my hair and smiled.
“Let’s just take the portal.”
“Estella.”
He gestured towards the phoenix’s rear end with his chin. I handed him the bundle I was carrying and clenched my fists.
“Should I give it a good kick?”
“No! What are you thinking? I wouldn’t do anything so barbaric.”
Then he said,
“Just steal a couple of eggs.”
“I think kicking it would be better.”
“Why would I kick it? It’s not like it’ll lay golden eggs.”
“Why steal the eggs?”
“They might be useful.”
“Are you going to sell them? You’re already rich, why are you so greedy? That’s the path to ruin.”
I couldn’t change his mind. What was he planning to do with phoenix eggs? Were they ingredients for the elixir?
If he insisted, I had to obey. I sighed and stealthily approached the phoenix’s rear.
“Sorry, phoenix. You have a lot of eggs, right? I’ll just take two. One for the young master, one for me.”
The eggs were surprisingly small, considering the phoenix’s size. I felt a warm sensation as I held them in my arms. They were much warmer than ordinary bird eggs.
Wouldn’t they be overcooked inside?
As I backed away, a zombie bone crunched under my foot.
“Chirp?”
The phoenix turned its head, and I was reflected in its reddish eyes.
“Oh no!”
“Screech!”
The phoenix stood up, flapping its wings. We had been discovered!
“It was so calm earlier, why is it making a fuss now! Did it just notice us?”
I ran towards the young master. A magic circle was at his feet. He had one foot inside the circle and extended his arm towards me.
“Estella! Hurry!”
“Waaah! Young Master!”
Feeling impatient, I rushed into his arms.
“Let’s go! Go! It’s about to step on us!”
He lifted me up and activated the portal. I saw the old man running out of the laboratory.
“W-wait! You’re taking the eggs?! You brats! Do you even know how much those are worth?! And phoenix, why are you acting like this?!”
“Sorry, old man! Thank you!”
The old man’s shouting faded away. And then, thump! We were transported to the portal in the dungeon. The eggs I had been holding almost fell to the ground.
“No!”
I reached down to catch them. The young master stumbled.
I clutched the two eggs tightly and relaxed my head, realizing he was carrying me on his shoulder.
“Oh my. How did we end up in this position?”
“Your actions are always unpredictable.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
We returned to Dragon’s Waist through the portal. Lund and Irang were waiting for us.
“Welcome back! I’ve made preparations for your return to Sdirco.”
Lady Irang greeted me. Then her gaze fell on the eggs in my hands.
“Those are…”
She looked at the young master questioningly. A rational person like me wouldn’t steal phoenix eggs on a whim.
“Count Zepetto, you didn’t stop your maid from stealing phoenix eggs? I didn’t know Estella had a penchant for bird eggs. If I had known, I would have prepared some rare bird eggs from Dragon’s Waist as a gift.”
“That’s not true at all! He told me to take them! I didn’t steal them!”
The young master nodded and casually handed one of the eggs to Lund.
“We helped the mage hiding in the dungeon. Thanks to that, we were able to see your father’s research notes. The phoenix is a crucial ingredient for the elixir. Try to fix the mess you made.”
Lund took the egg and nodded gratefully.
“Wait, so we’re only taking one egg?”
I hugged the remaining egg tightly.
“I’m getting attached to this egg. I’ll protect it until it becomes scrambled eggs!”
The young master sighed and ruffled my hair.
“Let’s just go home.”